Top of the Form

Contents

Host

Wynford Vaughan-Thomas, Lionel Gamlin, Richard Dimbleby (early hosts)

John Ellison and Robert MacDermot

Later hosted or co-hosted by: Kenneth Horne, John Edmunds, John Dunn, Tim Gudgin (1965-86), Bob Holness (1974-6), Paddy Feeny (1976-86)

Broadcast

BBC Light Programme, 1 May 1948 to 1967

BBC Television, 25 April 1953 and 27 February 1954 (specials)

BBC Radio 2, 1967-70 (sometimes simulcast on Radio 1)

BBC Radio 4, 1970-86

Synopsis

Contest between two secondary (read: grammar) schools. Each series was run in a knockout format. It also transferred to television as, logically enough, Television Top of the Form.

Theme music

Traditionally, "Marching Strings" by Marshall Ross, performed by Ray Martin and His Concert Orchestra.

For the last few series, Emerson Lake and Palmer's recording of Aaron Copeland's "Fanfare For The Common Man" was used.

Long-serving co-host Tim Gudgin was best known as the bloke that read out the Full Time scores on Grandstand.

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